Detailed Biography

Morris L. Chestnut is an American film and television actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles as teenage father Ricky Baker in the 1991 film Boyz N the Hood, groom-to-be Lance Sullivan in the 1999 film The Best Man and as Tracy Reynolds, NBA star in the 2002 film Like Mike.

Early life

Chestnut was born in Cerritos, California where he graduated from Richard Gahr High School in 1986. He subsequently studied finance and drama at California State University, Northridge.

Career

Chestnut's first professional acting role was as "Jason" in Freddy's Nightmares: A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Series in the episode "A Family Affair" which aired on February 18, 1990. His first feature film role was as "Ricky Baker" in Boyz N the Hood . He followed that up with roles in various TV movies. Chestnut also played a role on Patti LaBelle's short-lived sitcom Out All Night. His career continued to rise steadily with co-starring roles in standard big-budget studio films like Under Siege 2 and G.I. Jane . As the decade ended, movies about young, professional African-Americans and their problems with family and relationships began to fill the cineplexes creating roles for Chestnut and many other talented black actors who had been stuck in minor television and film roles.

In 1998 he won the annual Madden Bowl. In 1999 Chestnut starred in The Best Man with Taye Diggs and Nia Long in which he played a professional football player on the eve of his wedding. The Best Man earned positive reviews from the press and did well at the box office. For his performance Chestnut earned an NAACP Image Award nomination. He subsequently starred in The Brothers, another film centering on the themes of fidelity and success among urban professionals.

He has worked with Steven Seagal three times. In Under Siege 2: Dark Territory, Chestnut is Seagal's reluctant partner. In both Half Past Dead and Prince of Pistols he co-stars as the main villain.

Personal life

Chestnut is married to Pam Byse. He has 2 children, Grant Chestnut and Paige Chestnut, and said that he prefers to keep his private life private. Chestnut is a fan of the Philadelphia Eagles and the USC Trojans. His birthday is a year and a day apart from his Boyz in the Hood co-star, Cuba Gooding Jr., Chestnut being the younger. He is also a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc.

Morris Chestnut is also an avid poker player, and has a sponsorship arrangement with online poker room Full Tilt Poker.